Missing Scenes
by A Graton
Summary: Story six of the Pentagram Points series. A few missing scenes in the series, including an engagement scene, a wedding, a birth, and a discovery all from our favorite couples.
1. Chapter 1

Ron Weasley sat in bed at almost one o'clock in the morning, wide-awake. His girlfriend was lying next to him, sound asleep, her chest rising and falling rhythmically. Her halo of beautiful golden brown curls surrounded her head. Her eyes stayed shut peacefully. She had blocked out the world and looked content to remain that way.

But Ron had had this planned out for too long to just let it go, even if Hermione _was_ sleeping.

Ron and Hermione had been living together ever since they left Hogwarts. They'd bought a flat right down the road from Hogsmeade. It wasn't the greatest flat in the world, but it was theirs and that was all that mattered. Hermione was going to a Muggle college to get a degree in education, whereas Ron had decided to join the Magical Law Enforcement Squad (MLES) at the Ministry. Their income wasn't great, but it didn't matter. They were together.

Ron had a decision to make. He looked back down at Hermione and took a deep breath. He was going to do this no matter what. He quietly slipped out of bed, wearing nothing but the Chudley Cannon pajama pants Hermione had bought him two weeks earlier for his twenty-first birthday.

He pulled open the closet and groped through, trying to find something to put on his bare chest. He ended up yanking out his maroon Weasley jumper and grabbed two stray socks from the drawer. He didn't notice that one was blue and the other was yellow with black polka dots.

Ron ruffled his hair nervously. Now he had to wake Hermione up. What followed was going to be the hardest part. He leaned over and pressed the palm of his hand on the curve of her cheek gently. "Hermione?" he whispered. She flickered her eyelashes, but made no sign she was awake.

"Hermione? Wake up," he whispered again. She opened one eye and looked at Ron's face.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked hoarsely.

"No, but I need you to come see something."

She did not argue, but pulled herself up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She sighed, looking at Ron, and smirked. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing. I want you to come see something," he repeated, taking her hand.

She smiled and leaned over to kiss him. His eyes fluttered closed, taking in her subtle body heat and sweet scent. He touched the soft curls of her hair and smiled tenderly. "Come on, I want you to see something."

Hermione shook her head at Ron, pulling the covers off of her legs. She followed Ron out of the room and into the foyer. She realized that the sash on her nightgown was untied, but was too tired to care.

He squeezed her hand, leading her toward the door. "Do you have any shoes on?"

She looked down, yawning. "No, but neither do―" she noticed his feet and stopped. "I like the choice of colors you have there."

"Hey, it was dark in the bedroom. I didn't want to turn on a light and wake you."

Hermione glared at him. "Let's get this over with so I can get back to sleep."

Ron only rolled his eyes. "All right, come on, let's _get this over with_."

They walked outside and Ron took Hermione up a grassy hill, toward the edge of a large cliff, overlooking the towns below it. Hermione was waking up more and becoming anxious with every step she took. She kept asking Ron to tell her what was going on, but stopped when they reached the top of the hill.

There was a long, blue blanket laid on the grass before them. Nothing else was set up. No romantic picnic or candlelight, not that Hermione needed it. She had Ron.

"Lay down," he said quietly. Hermione set herself up comfortably, lying down on her back. Ron lay next to her, taking his hand in hers, and bringing it to his lips. She stared at him, watching his bright blue eyes dance with love and adoration.

"Look up at the sky, Hermione," he said, moving to run his fingers through her hair.

She did just that, staring at the huge, shining orb above them. "I forgot that it was a full moon tonight. It's so beautiful."

Ron pulled his arm up and stared at his watch. "It's going to be perfectly full in about three minutes."

Hermione, continuing to stare at the moon, whispered, "Why did I need to see this?"

He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes. He was so at ease with Hermione in his arms. How could he have gone six years without realizing how wonderful it felt to have her there? How could he have been so stupid for so long? He knew that he would never love someone as much as he loved Hermione. He had a great answer for her.

"Because… I know how much you love the color blue, and that's what color I noticed the moon has been turning lately. And to me, the moon is perfect and beautiful… exactly like you."

Hermione remained silent for a moment and then picked herself up, staring right at Ron. "Let's dance."

"Dance?" he repeated, furrowing his brow.

She nodded excitedly, standing up and offering her hand. He took it, standing up and frowning at her. She smiled, putting her arms around his neck and pulling him into a very sweet kiss. "You completely inspire me, Ron Weasley. Every time I'm near you I hear the music playing. Can't you?"

Ron smiled widely at her, his hands running lovingly through her hair. "I can hear it, Hermione Granger. I can hear every last note."

"Then kiss me," she whispered, and he obeyed. His cool lips pressed against hers and heat arose instantly. Hermione had never known any other kiss but Ron's, and knew for sure that she never wanted to. His kisses were so unbelievably perfect that she was more than satisfied each time she received one. What use would she have with anyone else's kisses?

"I love you," he said quietly.

She giggled, opening her bright eyes to look into Ron's. She backed away from him, took his hand, and twirled underneath it. He laughed. He had always loved the affect he had on her. She could be so completely loose and wild when she wanted to be. She was able to make him collect his thoughts and think.

And as she pulled back around to stand on her tiptoes, Ron realized the moment he was in was absolutely perfect. He took Hermione's other hand in his and pulled her close.

"Do you remember our first night in the flat?" he asked.

"Do I?" she asked, laughing. "I remember it very vividly."

"Tell me about it."

"Well, when we realized that our water was black, we went out and bought some butterbeer to bring home. Then, when we started dinner, the stove broke and it caused our lights to shut off. We had to drink lukewarm butterbeer and eat candy we bought from Honeydukes."

"Did we have fun?"

"It was absolutely wonderful. It was one of the best nights of my life."

Ron frowned. "Tell me why."

She sighed, pulling closer to him and resting her head on his chest. "It didn't matter to me what we were eating or what we were drinking or that half of the stuff in our flat was broken. It's _our _flat, and I was there with _you_. It was amazing. I'd never give that up. I'd rather be on the floor of our flat, eating candy for dinner than at the most expensive restaurant in all of London."

Ron chuckled. "That'll save me some money."

"Why did you want to know?"

"Because," Ron whispered, taking out his wand and conjuring up two mugs of hot butterbeer and a bowl of candy. "I wanted to know if you'd do me the honor of joining me for another feast."

"Ron, I'd love to," she said, kissing him on the cheek. They sat down and began eating and drinking, having a grand time as they laughed together. Hermione set down her mug and stared up at the moon.

"Wow, it really is blue tonight, isn't it?" She turned to him and smiled delicately. "It's the same shade as your eyes. Have I ever told you how beautiful your eyes are?"

"Several times," he sighed. "But I always love it when you do."

"I love you, Ronald Weasley," she said, caressing his cheek.

Ron sat back on his elbows, pulling Hermione on top of him. He reached underneath him and pulled out a golden heart. She smiled at it. "I recognize that," she whispered, touching it.

"Oh, but this isn't what you think it is," he said. "This is something a bit different."

"Oh?" she asked. "What then?"

Ron clasped the heart in his hand and let his attention go directly back to Hermione's face, which was an inch from his own. "I've been thinking, Hermione…" he paused. "I mean… I've been _seriously_ thinking about the past few years we've been together. It's been nearly four years, and I still love you as much today as I did the day I told you how I felt."

Hermione smiled tenderly. "As do I, Ron."

"And I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner. I knew I'd always felt like that. You're so amazing, Hermione, and you and I fit together perfectly. We're like two puzzle pieces. We may not look or appear the same, but when you put the corners together, we fit flawlessly. We've only started the puzzle, Hermione," he said. He brought the golden heart out in front of his face, blew onto it, and watched it turn into a dazzling diamond ring. "I'd like to start adding the pieces."

Hermione's jaw dropped onto Ron's chest. "A-A-Are you a-asking what I think you are… Ron?"

"Hermione, will you marry me?"

Tears were steadily flowing down Hermione's cheeks. She couldn't speak, no matter how hard she tried. Ron grabbed her left hand and slipped the ring on. "I'll take that as a yes."

"It's a yes," she said and pressed her lips to Ron's. He encircled his arms around her waist and brought her deep into his embrace.

"I love you so much, Miss Granger."

"I love you…Mr. Weasley," she finished. She was beginning to comprehend that his last name was soon going to be hers.

Hermione looked up into Ron's eyes, watching them sparkle with love and admiration. She realized how much she truly loved the color blue.


	2. Chapter 2

"Where's my dad?"

Hermione raced through the crowd of people, moving people out of her way and yelling for Ginny's father. She found Arthur Weasley talking to Fred, George, and Charlie. They were all fixing their dress robes when Hermione came crashing through.

"Arthur! The ceremony beings in ten minutes! Ginny needs you!" she yelled.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, turning from his sons. He took Hermione's arm and allowed her to lead him through the large crowd of people. The crowd was making their way to their seats in the front of the yard.

Ginny was pacing back and forth in the tent that had been set up for her. She stared into the mirror, hopeless. Even though she knew she looked great and that Harry would think she looked beautiful, she felt completely awful. Everything was so chaotic. Too many things had gone wrong. It only seemed fitting that her father would go missing.

Hermione dragged Arthur into the tent and shoved him at Ginny. She then spun on her heel and ran at top speed to a bathroom.

Ginny threw her arms around her father. "Thank goodness! I thought you'd disappeared!"

"Darling, where would I go? Are you all right?"

"No! So many things are going wrong! I can't believe it!"

"Ginny," her father whispered, sitting her down. "You are going to completely worry yourself sick before the ceremony! Now, I want you to focus on what is going to happen, not what already has."

"But, Dad!"

"Sh!" he said, taking her hands. "Ginny, everything that happened has already happened. You can't go back and change it. What you have to do is think about now. What's going to happen in five minutes?"

Ginny relaxed, a shadow of a smile finally daring to venture across her face. "I'm marrying Harry."

"Perfect. Do you love him?"

"Very much."

"Do you _want_ to marry him?"

"More than anything."

"Then, young lady, you're ready."

They both stood up and walked out of the tent, toward the front of the yard, where the ceremony was being held.

Harry and the groomsmen (all of Ginny's brothers) were at the very front. Harry fidgeted nervously from foot to foot. He looked up at his Best Man. Ron patted him on the shoulder comfortingly. Sirius was sitting in the front, smiling encouragingly.

Hermione turned around and kissed Ginny on the cheek. "You love him. That's all that matters." She fixed the last few strands of hair hanging on Ginny's face and turned to walk down the aisle.

Most of Ginny's cousins were bridesmaids, as well as a few of her friends from Hogwarts. There were seven girls lined up, and then, the music began.

She sucked in her breath and took her father's arm. "There's nothing to be scared about. It's Harry."

But this did not comfort Ginny in the slightest. When she saw Harry at the front of the aisle, it wasn't Harry at all. It was a knight in shining armor, someone she couldn't believe she had fallen in love with… a man who, above all else, was a hero. Her hero.

How was she supposed to be good enough for such a hero?

Harry watched Ginny walk down the aisle toward him. He was immediately choked up. She looked absolutely beautiful, completely and utterly ethereal. How was he supposed to compare to such a woman? He had fallen in love with her so many years before that he was wholly stunned when he realized he loved her even more than he did so long ago.

Ginny looked up to see tears in Harry's eyes. He was staring at her in that way… that way that she never found tiresome. It was still as scintillating to her at the age of twenty-one as it had when she was eleven.

Harry felt like he was swimming in a sea of love and emotion. He couldn't hear any of the ceremony. All he could do was feel Ginny next to him, her love enfolding him in layers and layers of warmth and affection.

Before the rings could be exchanged, the vows were to be read. Ginny and Harry had mutually decided that they were going to write their own vows to each other. Ginny had since memorized hers, and stared directly into Harry's bright green eyes as she delivered them.

"Harry James Potter," she sighed, almost breathless with sentiment. "It wasn't when you were famous for conquering the Dark Lord that I truly fell in love with you. It was only when I noticed that there was someone in this world possibly as heroic as my father." She paused to look at her father and smile. "It was when I finally knew you, Harry, not Harry Potter, that I started to figure out what I was headed for. Even though you wrote me the rhymes that made me realize you were in love with me, I think my favorite will always be the one I wrote you. _His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad. His hair is as dark as a blackboard. I wish he was mine, he's really divine, the hero who conquered the Dark Lord._ Harry, you _are_ mine, and I'd never give you up for the world."

Harry wanted to lean over and kiss her, sweep her up in his arms, and take her away. He restrained himself, wiping away his tears and straightening himself to begin his vows.

"I've tried to figure out for so long how I never fell in love with you before. It's a question that takes too long to ponder, so I decided to narrow down the list of reasons as to _why_ I love you… But then I realized that that was too long as well. There was nothing to narrow down. Now, I'm going to tell you something I think you should know.

"J stands for the joy you give me every day just to know you and be in your presence. J is the symbol of strength I get from you when I know you're near me. J stands for everything you mean to me, everything you are. I have known you for so long and it seems I have not loved you nearly long enough. I want you in every way, every day, for the rest of my life. J stands for the simple words, 'I love you,' that aren't that simple after all. J is the heart that lives inside of you, Virginia Weasley, the one I intend to keep forever."

Ginny didn't know how she was going to be able to stand up there after what Harry had just told her. All she wanted to do at that moment was throw herself into his arms and sob. However, she put the Weasley stubbornness into play and swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat.

Her eyes were blurred and her hearing had completely left her as her ring was slipped onto her finger. All she was aware of was the fact that Harry was touching her hand. Even after all those years, his touch on her skin gave her shivers.

Harry looked into the big brown eyes he loved to call his own. They were going to become his forever…

"And now I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Harry stared at Ginny's full, pink lips and dove in to devour them. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. He was completely unaware of where they were. All he knew was that Ginny Weasley was in his arms and it felt so wonderful and so natural that he lost all sense.

And then the clapping began. He pulled away from her and blinked a couple of times. He saw from the look in her eyes that he wasn't the only one who had forgotten where he was. It was then he realized… she was no longer his Ginny Weasley. She was his Ginny Potter.


	3. Chapter 3

"Shouldn't you be somewhere else?"

"Where should I be?" Ron asked, looking up at his best friend.

His sister (also his best friend's new wife) scoffed at him. "Gee, I wonder, _Ron._ Where should you be? Your wife is about to drop and you're over here, drinking tea."

Ron laughed, taking a swig from his cup. "For your information, she was the one who kicked me out of the house. Told me I was hanging around too much and making her angry. Not like she was doing anything anyway."

"Other than the fact that she's carrying your _child_," Ginny said, pointing her wand at the teapot to steam more water.

"Well, she wouldn't let me stay! I wanted to, but I'd rather have her be able to call me when it happens than kill me so I never see my child!" Ron fought back.

Harry shook his head. "It still feels weird, you know. Ron… you're not supposed to reproduce."

Ron's jaw dropped and Ginny's voice could be heard from the kitchen, "That's an understatement."

"You know, it's a little late to be saying all of this," Ron said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Oh, hush," Ginny said, waving her hand dismissively at her brother. "You know we're just messing around."

"We are," Harry said, ruffling Ron's hair. "We can't wait to see what your kid will be like."

"Do you have any names… yet?" Ginny asked, rolling her eyes. It had been a nine-month battle between Ron and Hermione on names for their baby. Neither of them wanted to know the gender, so it was a constant fight about possible names.

"Well, no," Ron sighed. The baby was due in a week and he and his wife had not decided on anything. "Hermione likes the names Daniel, Kyle, Marie, and Lynne. I like the names Andrew, Adam, Frances, and Kate."

Ginny sprawled out on the couch, putting her arms behind her head. "That child is never going to have a chance."

Ron narrowed his eyes warningly at his sister. "I pity your future children, Virginia. Make sure you have enough money saved for extensive psychotherapy."

Harry stopped in the doorway. "What was that?" he asked.

Ron laughed. "You heard me."

"No, in the fireplace."

They all looked up and saw a smoky head appear where Harry had been indicating. It soon took the shape of Hermione's head. Ron leaped up quickly and ran screaming at the mantel. "What is it? What is it? Is it time? Is it time?"

"No, it's not time!" she yelled at him, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Actually, I was going to ask Ginny something. Do you mind?"

"As a matter of fact, I do mind," he said snottily. "I know you too well, Hermione. I'm coming right home."

"Ronald Weasley, if you come home, I'll probably end up murdering you."

"I won't bug you anymore, I promise."

"_Please_," she said facetiously.

Harry laughed at Ron. "You better stay here, mate. When have we ever known her to hold out on a threat?"

Ron grabbed at the ends of his hair and tugged hard on them, causing them to stick out all over the place. He clenched his teeth and walked out of the room, followed closely by Harry. Ginny looked toward Hermione and frowned. "What is it really?"

Hermione gave her friend a very panicked look. "The contractions have started."

Ginny's eyes widened. "And you LIED to your HUSBAND? What were you thinking?"

"SH! GINNY!" Hermione yelled, looking around to make sure the room was empty. "I didn't want him knowing and freaking out, all right? He's been bothering me the past three days. He watches me like a hawk and it's starting to get on my nerves. Besides, they're just minor contractions."

"Contraction or none, Hermione, you need to get to the hospital. The baby is close enough to being due for you to get a move on."

"You're right, but don't tell Ron."

"You bet you I'm going to tell Ron!"

Hermione sighed. "God, he's going to go completely nutters. Should I Apparate ahead of him?"

Ginny shook her head. "You know what the doctor said, Hermione. You can't Apparate in your condition."

Hermione looked to have stomped her foot in a tantrum-like gesture. "How am I supposed to get there then?"

"How about you wait for your husband to get home and then Floo there?" Ginny asked, frustrated.

"Yeah, yeah, that'll do. I guess you can tell him that I want him home…"

"All right, as long as you promise me that you will go straight to St. Mungo's."

"I promise," Hermione said, waving her off.

"_With Ron_."

"With Ron," Hermione repeated and disappeared.

Ginny went into the other room and called for Ron. He raced in quickly. "What's going on? What happened? Is it time? Is it time?"

"Hermione wants you to go home."

"I knew it! I just knew it! She lied to me! Ginny, why did she lie to me? Why? WHY?"

Ginny grabbed Ron's face and looked at him. "_This_ is why. She doesn't want you flipping out! She's worried enough as it is, she needs you to keep a level head."

He took a couple deep breaths, grabbed Ginny's hands, and said, "See you at the hospital." He kissed her cheek and Apparated home.

"Hermione?" Ron called, racing toward the bedroom.

"In here," she called back.

He ran in and saw her packing a bag very slowly. "Do you need help, darling?"

She looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Yes, I'd love some help. Are you calm?"

"Of course. I love you," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and kissing her head. She leaned into him and sighed. "Ron?"

"Hermione?"

"I'm scared," she whispered.

"I know, love. I'm scared as well. But I'm also very excited."

Hermione turned around and wiped the tears from her face. "I'm scared, no matter how prepared I think I am."

"I love you. You have nothing to worry about. You're going to be the best mum in the world."

Hermione's face went into shock and pain. Ron rubbed her back. "Time to go?"

She nodded. Ron grabbed her suitcase and took her hand. Within minutes, they were at the hospital. The entire family showed up in a matter of an hour, and Ron was finding it harder to comfort Hermione. He was having serious doubts about his ability to be a father.

A little later in the evening, once Ron had expressed his feelings to his friend and calmed down, the nurse informed him that it was 'show time.' He gave Harry and Ginny the biggest hugs he could manage and raced into straight to Hermione's side.

_Why is this always such a good idea at first? _he thought frantically, watching the agony on her face and knowing there was nothing he could do about it.

The one hand of Ron's that Hermione didn't have in a death grip was trembling violently. His entire body seemed to be tremulous. _Don't wizards and witches have advanced ways for doing this? You'd think they would._

After a long hour of breathing and screaming and crying and worrying, the wait was over. Hermione and Ron had a daughter. Ron took her after the nurses cleaned her off and he stared down at her.

"Hermione," he whispered, leaning over his wife. "I hope you don't get jealous, but it seems I've fallen in love…"

He handed his daughter to Hermione. Her eyes filled with tears. "She's beautiful, Ron. What ever are we going to name her?"

"What names did you like again, love?"

"Well, what names did you like?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it does! It's our daughter!"

Ron looked up and smiled at no one in particular. He loved that even in the midst of something as moving as having a child, he and Hermione still managed to bicker uselessly. He kissed Hermione's hair… that wonderful, beautiful hair that curled and frizzed and was always so much fun to stare at. Everything about Hermione was exquisite. _She_ was exquisite.

"I'd better go tell everyone. We can talk about names later."

Hermione smiled at their daughter and called out to Ron before he could leave the room.

"Yes?"

"I love you very much."

Ron made his way toward her bed again, tipped her chin up to his and met her lips in a captivating kiss. "I love you."

Ron raced out to the lobby, where everyone was anxiously waiting. They jumped up the instant they saw him. He had a huge grin on his face and his eyes were sparkling with a thin mist of tears.

"It's a girl!" he announced.

Every member of the Weasley family threw themselves at Ron. The Grangers were there as well, congratulating Ron and asking when they could see their new granddaughter.

"They've just moved them to a new room, and you should be able to see them shortly. I'm going to go check on her."

Ron turned to leave and Ginny called out, "Have you decided on a name yet?"

He turned back and grinned sheepishly. "We're still in negotiations."

Ginny groaned and Ron raced hurriedly to the room Hermione was in. She was sitting on the bed, gently rocking her daughter and Ron closed the door when he came in. He sat next to Hermione on the bed, kissed her in greeting, and stared at his child.

"She's so innocent," Hermione whispered. "She has so much life in her, so much spirit."

"Oh, you know she has that, with our genes anyway," he said, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I wonder what she'll grow up to be. A teacher? An Auror? A Ministry official?"

"A know-it-all? A stubborn git?"

Hermione laughed whole-heartedly. "She might be both. After all, she's half Granger, half Weasley."

"Well, whatever she is, I'm sure she'll be beautiful. You _are_ her mother."

Hermione sighed, resting her head against Ron's. "I love you, you know?"

"I know."

"Shouldn't we give our daughter a name?"

"Perhaps."

Hermione pulled out her wand and whispered, "_Accio_." Her suitcase came across the room to them and she opened it up, pulling out a baby name book. Ron rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe you brought a book to the hospital."

"You can never be too prepared. Now, what names did you like?"

"I really love the names Kate and Frances."

"I don't really care for Frances, but Kate isn't too bad. What about Marie?"

Ron took the book from Hermione and skimmed through it. "Don't you think that makes a much better middle name?"

Hermione sighed. "I guess you're right."

Ron laughed. "I think that's the first time you've ever admitted that. Has our daughter softened you, you old steel hearted witch?"

Hermione nudged him gently and went back to reading the book. "Well, her middle name can be Marie. But I really love the name Lynne."

"Lynne's a better middle name as well."

"Doesn't mean I don't like it."

"What about Kate?"

"What about Lynne?"

Ron flipped a few more pages in the book, finding the female K names. He looked through it a little bit and stopped on a name he knew was absolutely perfect. Hermione read over his shoulder and nodded.

"Kaitlyn… it's Celtic… meaning 'pure.' It's beautiful."

"Kaitlyn Marie Weasley. What a ring!"

They stared at Kaitlyn, reveling in the ability she had to capture them in the first few minutes of her life. "She's going to have red hair," Hermione whispered.

"Hermione, _please_. That's a given. I'd like to see what color her eyes are."

And just as he finished the sentence, Kaitlyn gave a yawn and woke up, blinking at them. Ron's breath caught in his throat, his eyes filled with tears, and he couldn't speak. Hermione looked at her husband and then gently handed Kaitlyn over to him.

He stared at Kaitlyn, completely enamored. "She has my eyes, Hermione. She has my eyes. Can you believe it?"

"It makes the most sense," Hermione said, wiping her eyes. "Your eyes are so beautiful, Ron." He watched his wife rub the ring that she wore on her right hand. It had since lost its power, which was to glow blue whenever he thought about her. She had crafted this ring and one she gave to Ron for Valentine's Day in their sixth year.

"It makes sense for her to have red hair, Hermione… but my eyes? It's amazing. How can you love someone so much that you just met?"

Hermione rested her head on Ron's shoulder. "I don't know, Ron, but I do have one prediction."

Resting Kaitlyn in his arms, he leaned against Hermione. "And that is?"

"With your eyes _and_ your hair, this is bound to be an adventure."


	4. Chapter 4

The glass was almost completely covered in dust. The frame on the picture was worn and antiqued. The picture, however, seemed to be in perfect condition. The brightness and vitality of the captured moment was gleaming just as lovingly as it must have the day it was taken.

Dameon felt a tear slide down his cheek. This was it. It was what he had been searching for the past three years. His father had told him it was here, somewhere, lost in the mess of the mansion. He had never believed him. But there it was.

He let his cold, trembling fingers graze the surface smoothly. It was an odd sensation. It was almost like he could feel the life of the person inside the picture just by touching it.

Did it even make sense that it was a still photograph? It was most unlike the ones he'd come across in his twenty some years as a wizard. This was a Muggle picture. The woman in the stillness of the moment was undeniably beautiful. She looked to have absolutely no faults. Her bright blue eyes gazed out into the world beyond the camera and her gorgeous smile lit up her entire face. It was a calming smile, one that could always cheer you up no matter what.

Dameon quickly wiped the tear off his cheek but did not take his gaze off the picture for a second. It was too amazing. He'd found her.

The footsteps creaking up the stairs distracted him. He tore his stare from the treasure in his hand and looked up to see who was approaching, even though he knew who it was.

Kaitlyn's curious cerulean eyes appeared from behind the door leading to the attic. Her fiery red hair was pulled back into a bun at the nape of her neck. She had normal Muggle clothes on, as did he, and her face was covered in more dust than it was freckles. They had been cleaning out the whole of Malfoy Manor on that not-so-important spring day.

"Dameon? Is something wrong?"

He smiled at her and then beckoned her over. "Nothing's wrong, love," he sighed. "I've just found something."

Kaitlyn's eyes widened. "Did you find… did you find…?" She was so excited she couldn't manage the sentence.

"Yes! I did!" he said excitedly, standing up to greet her more properly. He kissed her cheek quickly and then handed the picture over to her.

Her jaw dropped immediately. "Oh… oh Dameon… she's _ravishing_."

Dameon's eyes welled up with tears again, but he soon blinked them away. "Isn't she though?"

Kaitlyn had to sit down as she stared at the picture Dameon had just been gawking at. "Dameon, your mother was so beautiful."

He sighed, touching the glass again. "I don't understand why it was taken in Muggle form. My father never seemed to be the type that would allow any type of Muggle tradition in the household."

Kaitlyn nodded in understanding, but then sighed heavily as well. "Dameon… you knew your father far better than I did, but if there's one thing I've learned, it's that love can truly open your eyes. Perhaps it was your mother's love for your father that caused him to overlook his prejudice. He wouldn't have cared whether or not their wedding pictures were Muggle. All that mattered was it was a picture of the woman he loved."

Dameon was silent for a moment to reflect on what Kaitlyn had just said. Then, he let his eyes wander over her face. She was so smart and so beautiful. She seemed to know so much, and she had so much spirit. He still wondered how he had ever managed to fall in love and stay with a girl like Kaitlyn Marie for so many years.

"Where are Derrick and Sean?" Dameon asked, almost out of the blue.

Kaitlyn looked up and shook her head. "They're downstairs, entertaining themselves with their father's old wand."

Dameon groaned, standing up. "I better go stop them before they take the whole place down."

Kaitlyn stopped him by placing a gentle hand on his arm. "They're not causing any major trouble at the moment. Besides, you deactivated that wand years ago."

He shrugged absently and looked back to Kaitlyn. He took her hand off of his arm, pulled her up closely to him, and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She rested her head onto his chest and took in his warmth. It was moments like these that she loved being close to her husband.

"I love you, Dameon. I'm just glad you're as optimistic now as you were three years ago."

Dameon sighed, knowing exactly what his wife was talking about. "It's hard not to, when we have the family that we do."

Kaitlyn chuckled, her eyes still closed. "It's hard though, and I'm sorry. I wish I had gotten to know your father more before he died."

"You had no control over that, Kate," he whispered. "It's not your fault he got so sick. He really did like you. No matter how much he tried not to show it."

She smiled and looked up at Dameon. She held up the picture and gave it to him. "Think of if this way," she whispered. "Your whole life, he's been without the one woman he ever truly loved. Now, he gets the chance to be near her again."

Dameon nodded. "You're right. I just miss him a lot. He really started to change after we got married. It almost felt good to call him my father for once. As horrible as that sounds."

"It's understandable," she said.

Dameon turned the picture over and noticed that there was a piece of it sticking out of the side. Curious, he opened it a bit and pulled on the corner of it. He realized that it wasn't the picture at all, but a note that his mother must have slipped inside of it. It was in a beautiful, loopy handwriting he'd never seen before.

"On this day, May 20, 2000, I have married the only man I've ever loved. That is you, Draco Malfoy. It's never been odd to me to love you as much as I do, because I know it's right. Wasn't our saying _let them talk_? I love you, from here to eternity, Draco, and I will never love another as much as I love you. – Grace Elizabeth Malfoy."

Kaitlyn looked up to see tears falling down Dameon's face. She wiped them away with her thumb just as quickly as they had fallen. "I'm sorry you never got to know your mother, Dameon."

"I'm not," he said, looking up at Kaitlyn. "It's a shame I never knew her, that's true, but I'll never regret my life. If anything had been different, I might not have met and fallen in love with you, Kaitlyn. Where would I be then?"

She touched his cheeks briefly. "I don't know where I'd even be. I knew the kind of love from my parents that you never did, Dameon, but I'd die if I never knew the kind of love you provided."

Dameon took her hands and kissed her fingertips. "They're together now, somewhere. I'm glad my father was able to know that kind of love, even if it was briefly."

Kaitlyn stared into Dameon's deep blue eyes a couple minutes longer and then leaned forward to press her waiting lips to his. They were interrupted right before they made contact.

"Mummy! Daddy!"

They both looked up to see their twin sons, Derrick and Sean race up the stairs toward them. "Derrick made something happen to your wand, Daddy!" screamed Sean.

Dameon looked at Kaitlyn and rolled his eyes. "Guess we'll have to save this moment for later."

"That's what I said the first time you even mentioned wanting children," Kaitlyn joked. She turned to her two sons, wrapped them in her arms, and carried them downstairs while they squealed with delight.

Dameon laughed at the noises he heard going down the stairs. Everything he had always wanted was now in his reach. He had a family who loved him, a beautiful wife who would do anything for him (and had already proven that), and he had rediscovered his past.

Dameon Malfoy was a happy man.


End file.
